So I have had the oppertunity to try this second tier utility form out recently and I was thoroughly unimpressed with it. I know utility is ment to be for more then just offense/defense but the trade off that this form receives for its utility is well out of line in my opinion. I mean defensive forms do more damage and offensive forms make better tanks of the same tier.

The bonus of amphibiousness is of course cool and rare amongst forms but its an entirely useless benifit of this form, except to arials and felar. The damage it does is less then an unshifted mage once you hit rank 25 and use claws of the lion. It has no special attack. It does not do any better in or under water. It really just doesn't stack up well as a tank either.

As the form stands right now the benifit of it is to go underwater, but this is not much of a benifit since a shapeshifter already gets the water breathing spell and does more melee damage, plus unshifted you can also use wands or gear for damage.

My suggestions for improving the form, would be cool to see some of these not all though

Increase its attack damage to maims/mutilates and give it a third strike.


Give it a hop attack, you can use your imagination jump and knock someone down for damage and maybe one round lag on them.

give it very mild regen

give it poison resistance

give it swampblend

give it fighting bonus's in water

the other possible solution would be to just lower it to a first tier form and let it stay.


I know you guys are asked to look at lots of things all the time and that this is a relatively minor thing affecting a very small portion of the players but shifters already have a rough time ranking in the low ranks and this could help them out.

I believe the balance and trade-off is when you recieve 3rd and 4th tier water forms. I am of the impression that form vs form, water forms are very powerful.

Best advice is to rank to 29-31 and get your third form. Then be thankful later you have a rare amfibian(spelling) form that can do a bit of damage underwater.

Be realistic. Not many second tier forms are much of anything. The mustang seems pretty good. The rest are kinda blah. Power ranking, less bitching.

Hope is the worst of evils, for it prolongs the torment of man.

Man I totally missed that one. Pfft!

Considering it's a utility form does change perspective for me a bit. Given, the type of 3rd and 4th tier forms you can get from a Utility focus though, I now can see the usefullness of having that kind of form.

Now, a shifter without water forms that can shift into a form that can go underwater... Sorry man, I think having that ability with the combination of forms outside of a water foci as pretty darn useful in resourceful situations. My opinion of course. I would say that you should just look at it like ranking pre-form and figure on it as something you more or less go through, that can have a nice utilitarian benefit of diving without revert/cast.

for christs sake at rank 25 unshifted I do more damage then shifted, plus i can put up water breathing and be amphibious and cast and zap and everything.

At hero its just going to be even more useful.

I understand the logic in reducing melee abilities for amphibiousness but in this case they did it to a degree that it just made the form a waste of time for anyone who gets it and a waste of hard disk space for storing its stats.

Don't play shapeshifters. They are an exercise in futility at the best of times. Only lightmage with his cracked out self can enjoy this class. Forego the pain of prepping to the teeth only to get wailed on by anyone (and their nexus butt-brother) who isn't a complete moron, noob, or seriously injured already. No matter what you do, people will just run away if you are winning, and they will get away, or they will stomp you into the dirt. You choice of tactics will include biting (in several different forms!) which will be totally worthless and not as useful as any one skill from any warrior spec (including dent!).

Tac

I hate shifters.

n/t

Hope is the worst of evils, for it prolongs the torment of man.